Per Mertesacker is entrusted with the job of collecting fines from Arsenal players in breach of club discipline but the German may find himself going cap in hand to manager Arsene Wenger for his place in the team.

James Collins is targeting a top-half Premier League finish following West Ham’s goalless draw at Liverpool yesterday. The Wales international was outstanding in a defiant defensive display and believes Sam Allardyce’s team can climb up the table.

“We set our sights on finishing tenth before the season started,” said Collins. “That is still a realistic possibility.

“If we can go to Southampton and get all three points on Saturday, then tenth place will be on.”

Collins, who rejoined West Ham for a second spell from Aston Villa last summer, was superb, along with central defensive partner James Tomkins, who came into the team following a thigh injury to Winston Reid.

The Welshman was assigned the testing task of marking Luis Suarez and acquitted himself impressively against Liverpool’s Uruguayan star.

“I decided to go as tight as I could,” he said. “The last thing you want is him getting the ball, turning and running at you. We spoke about it before the game and I tried to nick the ball off him when I could. Fortunately it worked.

“It was tough. They are so sharp and quick on the ball, you have to be on your toes for 90 minutes and it was probably one of my best games.

“Anfield is a tough place to go to and although we’ve had some good clean sheets on the road this season, West Ham’s record there over the years hasn’t been great.”

In fact, Collins and his team could have recorded their first win at the ground since 1963 if Lucas hadn’t blocked a Jack Collison header on the line with four minutes left.

By then, Tomkins had limped off with cramp but the hard work had been done. “James has been really unlucky this season,” said Collins. “He has been unfortunate not to have played more but even so, his attitude has been spot on when he has come in.

“We could have even won the game from a corner near the end.

“Set-plays are a massive part of our game and we do a lot of work on them, in defence and attack.

“We knew that would probably be our best chance and Jack has got his head to one which was cleared off the line. Looking back, though, we will take a point with the amount of possession that they had.”

Allardyce, meanwhile, believes one more win will ensure safety for his team. “I’d like another three points,” said the West Ham manager.

“It depends on teams below us because some are picking up two or three wins back to back but we are looking up, not down.”